Preventing Obesity in the American Population, Essay Example

Obesity is increasing at an exponential rate in America.  Because this epidemic is associated with many diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers, it can no longer be ignored.  Obesity rates are related to poverty and lack of education.  Individuals who do not have food security are obese and malnourished because their diets are poor. Factors such as loose regulations of the corporate food industry, marketing, and the abundance of unhealthy foods in school further complicate matters. Individuals who are both obese and food insecure require assistance to resolve this problem. The American Government can prevent obesity in the general population by passing laws regulating the food industry, encouraging advertisements on low-calorie diets, and providing healthy foods to schools.

Eating a diet high in processed foods, fats, and refined carbohydrates, while low in fresh fruits and vegetables predisposes individuals to obesity.  However, these foods are often less expensive and due to the downturn of the economy, many Americans are struggling to save money.  The South Bronx is a living example of the direct relationship between obesity and poverty.  According to Dolnick, author at the New York Times, the 14.1 percent unemployment rate in the South Bronx is the highest in the state of New York.  Along with the South Bronx being one the poorest counties in the nation, it was also ranked the unhealthiest of New York’s 62 counties (Dolnick).  The relationship between socioeconomically challenged individuals with both obesity and food insecurity extends beyond the South Bronx and exists in many households throughout the nation. 

The problem is not that healthy foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables are more expensive to produce; rather the Federal Government subsidizes the food industry to generate processed foods.  According to Mercola, a family physician and creator of Mercola.com, prices are cheaper for processed foods because the United States government uses tax dollars to pay farmers to grow foods like corn, which are processed into unhealthy substances such as high fructose-corn syrup.  These products are used in unhealthy foods which are high in refined sugars and fats.  Mercola reports that the government pays farmers $77 billion a year to produce corn as a raw material that can be processed into “food”(Mercola). The artificially reduced price allows for these unhealthy foods to be less expensive than healthier options. To financially struggling consumers who do not have the time to educate themselves, the cheaper foods are often selected. If the Federal Government would simply stop using American tax dollars to pay for the production of unhealthy foods, then consumers would be more likely to make better choices. 

Individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged will often rely on advertisements and marketing to make important decisions for them because they do not have the time to research the nutritional content of foods.  According to Dr. Rundle, a professor at Columbia University, socioeconomically disadvantaged people “often work longer hours and work multiple jobs, so they tend to eat on the run,” and that because “they have less time to work out or exercise”… “the deck is really stacked against them”  (Dolnick).  If the Federal Government took the monies spent on the production of unhealthy foods and put it into the promotion and marketing healthy foods, consumers would have a better opportunity to make more informed dietary decisions. 

Advertisements play a major part in consumer choices and the Federal Government can use this to promote healthy foods. According to Deville from the Huffington Post: companies use product licensing, promotions and contests, co-branding (like Coca Cola Barbie), program-length commercials, advergraming (putting products into computer games) and kiosks, carts and vending machines in schools. They infiltrate our minds subtly with product placements. Product placement plays perfectly into our sense of community when it comes to consuming factory food (Deville).

Unfortunately, these tactics are often used to promote the unhealthy products which are subsidized by the Federal Government.  In order for the promotion of healthy foods to be successful the Government would have to reduce its spending on unhealthy foods and increase its spending on healthy foods. 

The American Government can also help to prevent obesity and promote healthy living by helping schools provide nutritious foods for children.  The lunches provided by most schools are high in fats, processed carbohydrates, and low in nutrients. The problem is worse in inner city and lower income schools.  When Neelum Sharma from the Healthy School Food Coalition saw the food at her son’s school, she found “the food was all heavily processed and unpleasant-looking”…  “Kids were taking one or two bites and throwing the rest away.  The only fresh fruit were these tasteless apples, all mangly and waxy-skinned” (Matthiessen, Constance, and Hamersky).  These poor quality lunches contribute to obesity and malnutrition. When this happens, academic success suffers. 

One way that schools can help is to provide students with a free breakfast.  According to studies found by Deloitte of the Organization No Hungry Kid, it was found that students who eat a free breakfast at school achieve 17.5 percent higher scores on standardized math tests and attend 1.5 more days of school per year”  (Felling).  Both high test scores and attendance help to increase graduation rates, which will benefit students as adults.  Not only would the Federal Government be fighting obesity and food insecurity, it would also be investing in America’s  future.

The problems of obesity, malnourishment, and food insecurity have spiraled so far out of control that the American Government must become involved.  Promoting a healthy diet and lifestyle is not an easy task, but by focusing on marketing information and educating both adults and children, people will be better able to make more informed decisions.  The American Government must first reassess its spending and stop using tax dollars to fund the production and promotion of unhealthy foods.  After this occurs, marketing good nutrition and programs involving better diets in schools will have a better chance of success. 

Work Cited

Deville, Nancy. “Victims of the Food Industry, Part Two.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 9 July 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-deville/food-industry_b_1526242.html>.

Dolnick, Sam. “The Obesity-Hunger Paradox.” The New York Times 12 Mar. 2010: 227-229. Print.

Felling, Christy. “Hungry Kids: The Solvable Crisis.” Educational Leadership 70.7 (2013): 56-60. Print.

Matthiessen, Constance, and Anne Hamersky. “Produce to the People.” Sierra Nov./Dec. 2006: 27-29. Print.

Mercola, Joseph. “The 9 Foods the U.S. Government is Paying You to Eat.” Mercola.com. N.p., 3 Aug. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.<http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/03/the-9-foods-the-us-government-is-paying-you-to-eat.aspx>.